MATCH REPORT | CAMBRIDGE UNITED 3 NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2

19 January 2019

Cambridge United twice fought from behind and overcame a penalty miss before lifting the roof off at the Abbey Stadium in stoppage time to take the spoils 3-2 against Northampton Town.

Jevani Brown and George Taft both pulled United level to cancel out goals from Aaron Pierre and Junior Morais, before David Amoo clinched the three points at the end of a U’s onslaught in the 95th minute, making it three consecutive wins in Sky Bet League Two.

With David Forde ruled out through injury, the U’s made one change to the side that produced the important win over Notts County a week earlier, Dimitar Mitov stepping in between the posts.

United made a lively start with George Maris bending a shot with his right foot on to the top of the Cobbler’s cross bar, minutes before Jevani Brown headed wide after being picked out with a precise cross from the right by David Amoo.

However it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 28 minutes when Aaron Pierre was quickest to react inside the U’s area after United failed to deal with a Cobblers corner and the centre back rifled in the opener on his left foot from eight yards out.

Hepburn-Murphy displayed his blistering pace four minutes later as the U’s caught Northampton on the break, but the youngster hammered a shot over the top from 20 yards out when perhaps the better option would have been to slip a pass through to Amoo.

It looked as if Colin Calderwood’s men would head down the tunnel at half time facing a one goal deficit, until Jevani Brown stroked a top class finish beyond the reach of David Cornell, following strong hold up play by Hepburn-Murphy.

The second half was quickly into high octane action and saw the Cobblers regain their advantage on 48 minutes, with Junior Morias was alert to a half clearance by George Taft and slammed a shot past Mitov.

United dusted themselves down hastily and should have levelled from the penalty spot moments later when Jevani Brown was brought down by Shay Facey, but the midfielder then crashed his effort from 12 yards against the post and off target.

Hepburn-Murphy continued to look electric for United particularly on the counter attack and when the Cobbler’s only option was to bring down the youngster on the edge of their area, the Villa loan went within fractions of curling in an equaliser for the U’s.

Calderwood’s men didn’t have to wait long though with George Taft powering past a flock of players in the Northampton six yard box to header in Brown’s set piece delivery at the far post on 63 minutes.

Amoo’s cross midway through the half caused carnage in the Cobbler’s six yard box but couldn’t be forced over the line after a spill from Cornell and Ibehre got a little too much contact on his near post header from George Maris cross with eight minutes to play as the U’s searched for a winner.

United pushed until the very end with Northampton seemingly happy to settle for a point, that was until David Amoo popped up in the right place at the right time to finish from a central position eight yards out to ignite a raucous response from the Abbey faithful.